Dumbest criminals caught on camera

Hannah Busch
eatures and Special Publications Editor
Hannah began writing for APN newspapers in Hervey Bay and Maryborough in 2011, writing about everything from the prize-winning sausages to murder trials. She joined the team at the Queensland Times in early 2014 as editor of City Heart and Roughin It magazines.

IT'S called the silly season for a reason and this Christmas is no different.

Police have launched the Christmas Road Safety Campaign in a bid to stop stupid behaviour and reduce trauma on the roads.

Commissioner Ian Stewart said this year's campaign would involve a highly visible police presence and a series of targeted traffic operations across the state.

"Sadly 40 people lost their lives while more than 2171 people were injured in traffic crashes during last year's campaign," Commissioner Stewart said.

Despite the police crackdown motorists are still doing the wrong thing.

Now police have released footage of some of the silliest behaviour caught on camera in Queensland during the first phase of the campaign.

Mobile phone fail

In an incident on December 13 a police officer saw a female driver allegedly using her mobile phone while on Ruthven Street, South Toowoomba.

She received a traffic infringement notice.

Footage shows the woman visibly shocked when confronted by police and drop her phone in fright.

The woman is caught using her phone in Toowoomba.

U-turn gone wrong

At 12.50am on December 13, a 37-year-old Mermaid Waters man was travelling south on the Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach when he attempted a U-turn, hit the gutter and travelled south in the wrong direction before crashing into a light pole.

"I think I broke my arm," he told police.

"Terrible, terrible."

Police responded by asking: "What are you doing on this side of the highway?"

"I was going that way," the man responded by pointing up the road.

It will be alleged his blood alcohol content returned a positive reading of 0.239. He was given an notice to appear in Southport Magistrates Court on January 1.

Speeding motorbike

At 11.20am on December 10, a 48-year-old Loganholme man was riding a motorcycle northbound along the Mount Lindesay Highway, Rathdowney when he was detected allegedly doing 134km/hr in a 60km zone.

The rider received an infringement notice.

Footage shows the blur of a bike whizzing past the police car. The Harley Davidson rider was told his "day was not going to get any better" by police.

Drunk driver

At 10.10pm on December 7, police intercepted a vehicle on Tedder Avenue, Main Beach. An inspection of the vehicle uncovered a burst rear right tyre and damage to the bottom and rear of the vehicle.

The 33-year-old Surfers Paradise male driver allegedly returned a positive BAC reading of 0.298. He was due to appear in Southport Magistrates Court today charged with driving under the influence.

The 50-day Christmas Road Safety Campaign will be conducted over four phases, starting on December 8 and finishing on January 25.

"Can I just go home?" the man asked police only to be told "no".

The Christmas Spirit

Queensland Police weren't the only ones sharing some Christmas warnings in video format.

Their federal counterparts at the AFP sang about their biggest catches of the year and while it's no All I Want For Christmas, it definitely wins the title of grossest Christmas carol.

Across the border in New South Wales, officers also used the format of song to get across their holiday season warning, helpfully using the dulcet musical skills of The Police Band to warn shoppers about the coming Christmas scams.

Over in Port Hedland in Western Australia, the social media message was simpler. A short sighting of the bearded man himself, as well as one of his elves, came with a warning to report any sightings to mum and dad.